Unreeling appliance for wire, thread, etc.



Oct. 18, 1932. SNYDER Q 1,883,039

UNREELING APPLIANCE FOR WIRE, THREAD, ETC

' Filed June 8, 1928 W M BY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD SNYDER, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL CABLE CORPOF BATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY UNREELING APPLIANCE FOR WIRE, THREAD, ETC.

Application filed June 8,

. This invention relates to improvements in unreeling appliances for wire, thread, etc., and is especially useful in connection with machines to which the wire or thread is supplied intermittently and at a rapid rate in the manufacture of articles formed thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus by means of which the wire is withdrawn from a spool or reel upon which it is wound, without rotation of the spool, and which will cause unreeling of the wire as rapidly as it is withdrawn for use, without racing, which ordinarily causes entanglement, kinking, looping or other disorder of the wire. Another object of the invention is to construct the device so that the wire is unreeled and supplied under more or less constant tension as it is withdrawn, without over-running from the reel.

Numerous devices have hitherto been employed by which the slack of the wire is taken up in order to overcome difliculties due to the slack. .However, the present invention .contemplates an unreeling appliance so constituted that in its operation there is no developmentof slack in the wire, and use of a take-up device is thereby dispensed with, which are further and especial objects of the invention.

An embodiment of the invention selected for the purpose of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of an unreeling de' vice, partly in section, in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device, a part thereof being in section; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of an idler and its mount, that forms a part of the device.

The characters appearing in the description refer to parts shown in the drawing and designated thereon by corresponding characters.

The invention consists of a base 1 having a circular cavit 2, the top of the base being open and there eing an upwardly extending flange 3 surrounding the cavity. An upwardly extending pintle 4 is fixed in the base.

in alinement with the axial center of said cavity. The base has on one side thereof a 1928. Serial No. 283,915.

lug -5 in which is fixed, in upright position,

.upper end thereof and extends downwardly across the gap between said plates, and bears against the inner face of the arm opposite the one to which the tongue is secured.

, A spool 11, upon which the wire or thread is wound, is set on end within the base, centered therein by the pintle which projects up into the bore 13 of the spool. The upper end of said spool extends to a point above the plane of the top of the flange 3 on said base.

Upon the top of the spool is positioned an annular brake plate 14 having an axial sleeve 15 that projects downwardly into the bore 13 of the spool, by means of which said brake plate is centered in position upon the spool. In the hub of the brake plate is centrally secured an annular ball bearing 16 by means of a retaining member, which member consists of a pair of metal washers 17 and a felt washer 18 interposed therebetween, there centrally through the bearing in which it is vertically adjustable, there being a screw 21 in the lower end of the post 20, which when screwed inwardly causes the post to expand and become secured in the bearings In the top of the post 20 is secured a fly member 22 made of spring wire and formed with a loop 23 between its ends. One arm 24 of the fly member is shaped so as to have bearing contact with the brake face 14 of the plate 14 over which it extends, and said arm terminates with a pendant extension 25, the lower end of which is coiled to form an eye 26. The

other arm 27 of said fly member is secured fixedly in the post 20 through which it extends, there being a screw 28 in the top of said post by which said member is clamped in lace.

The arm 27 has a hooked outer end 29 through which the arm 24 loosely extends, said hook portion being spaced slightly above the extending outer portion of said arm 24 with which it has contact when the arm 24 is raised and yieldingly limits rising movement thereof.

Upon the standard 6, beneath the idler 7, is fixed a guide consisting of a wire 30, the outer end of which is coiled to form an eye 31, which eye is disposed in axial alinementwith the pintle 4 upon which the spool is centered, and also upon the standard 6 is adjustably secured a bracket 32 that rigidly supports, in horizontal position, a guard consisting of a wire ring 33 which is spaced above the fly member and in axial alinement with said.

pintle.

In utilizing the invention, the spool upon which the wire is wound is positioned upon the base and centered by the pintle, and an unwound portion 12' of the wire is strung through the eye 26 at the end of the drag arm 24, guard ring 33, eye 31, and overthe idler 7 from which it extends to the machine (not shown), into which it is drawn as it is required in the usual manner. As the wire is drawn in the direction indicated by the arrow, it is pulled tangentially and unwound from the spool, and, the. fly member, through which the wire extends, is caused to rotate upon the axis of its post, which rotation is resisted by the brake plate with which the fly member has more or less frictional contact. When, withdrawal of the wire is suddenly stopped, or its rateof withdrawal is more or less gradually reduced, rotation of the fly member is accordingly stopped or its velocity reduced by the applicationiof pressure of the drag arm upon the brake face 14 of the plate 14. In this manner the unwound portion of the wire is sustained under more or less tension and its premature unwinding from the spool andbecoming slack is averted.

'As the velocity of the fly memberincreases, the extension 26 is influenced outwardly by centrifugal force which causes upward flex- ,ure of the drag arm, and thus, the pressure of the drag arm upon the brake plate is correspondingly reduced and the freedom of the fly member to rotate is consequently increased. 4 The spool and the brake plate are of such weight as to be immobile and unaffected by the pull of the wire as it is unreeled from the spool, and the act on of the drag arm upon the brake plate when the drag arm is rotated.

The flange 3 and the guard ring 33 function in like manner. That portion of the unwound wire between the spool and the eye 26 of the fly member becomes restrained by the flange 3 in its tendency to lash outwardly when influenced by centrifugal force induced by the unwinding operation; and the guard ring 33 likewise restrains similar tendency of that portion of the unwound wire between the eyes 26 and 31. Thus, the flange and the guard ring, as well as the frictional actionbetween the fly member and the brake plate, contribute in the circumvention of slacking of the wire, and the fly member, being of slight weight, responds sensitively to the pull of the wire and to the action of the brake plate, when withdrawal of the wire is suddenly started and stopped, which further averts breaking and slacking of the wire.

What I claim is 1. In an unreeling device, a base member including a spool-centering pintle and an annular upwardly extending flange concentric with said pintle; an idler supported above the base; a guide member having an eye, which eye is supported in alinement with said pintle between the pintle and said idler; a spool positioned upon the base and centered thereon by said pintle; a guard ring disposed between the spool and said eye; a circular brake plate positioned upon the top of the spool in concentric relation therewith; a spinner member including a bearing therefor positioned centrally in said plate; and a fly member secured in connection with said spinner, which fly member normally has frictional contact with said brake plate and is provided with a pendant extension that overhangs said spool, said extension being provided with an eye, said .fly member being adapted to be rotated with said spinner by the wire coiled on said spool, as said wire is withdrawn therefrom through said eyes.

2. In a device for unreeling awire from a spool upon which the wire is wound, a support forming a mount for the spool including centering means therefor; a guide having an eye disposed above the spool in axial alinement therewith; a guard ring disposed between said spool and eye in concentric relation therewith; a circular brake plate positioned upon the top of the spool and cen tered thereon; a spinner rotatably mounted upon said plate; and a spring pressed fly arm attached to the spinner and normally bearing upon said plate, the outer end'of said arm having an eye disposed beyond the edge of the spool, said fly arm being rotated with said spinner by the wire as said wire is withdrawn from the spool through said eyes.

3. In a devlce for unreeling a wlre from a spool upon which said wire is wound, a

mount for said spool; a guide disposed in axial alinement with and spaced from one end of saidspool when. said spool is positioned on said mount; a brake plate disposed between said guide and spool; a rotatable post in said brake-plate; and an unwinding member mounted on said post, that has a spring pressed fly arm normally bearing upon said rake-plate so as to have frictional relation therewith, the outer end of said fiy arm being provided with a guide for said wire disposed beyond the perlmeter of the spool, said unwinding member being rotated by the wire as said wire is withdrawn from the spool through said guides.

4. n mechanism for unreeling a wire from a spool, a mount for said spool; a stationary brake plate; a rotatable post supported in said plate; a member including a spring pressed fly arm normally having frictional bearing relation with said brake plate, said fly arm being provided with a guide for said wire; and a stationary guide spaced from said rotatable member through which said.

wire passes from the former guide, said rotatable member being operated by the unwinding action of sald wire as said wire is withdrawn from said spool.

5. In mechanism forunreeling a wire from a spool, a mount for said spool; a brake plate supported at one end of the spool in axial alinement therewith; a rotatable member including a spring pressed drag arm provided with a ide for said wire, said drag arm having frictional engagement with said brake plate and being movable out of contact therewith by centrifugal action and the withdrawal movement of said wire in opposition to the spring pressure; a guide spaced from said rotatable member for said wire as it passes from the former guide; and a memwith a guide for said wire, said drag arm having frictional engagement with said brake-plate and being movable out of contact therewith by centrifugal action and the withdrawal movement of said wire in opposition to the spring pressure; and a member engage- .able with said drag arm for limiting movement thereof away from said brake plate, said rotatable member being operated by the unwinding action of said wire as said wire iswithdrawn from said spool.

7. In'mechanlsm for unreellng a wire from a spool, a brake plate with which said spool V is positioned in axial alinement therewith;

a bearing centered in said brake plate; apost mounted in the movable member of said bearing and being longitudinally adjustable therein and having means for securing it in said wire spaced from said fly member and alined with the axis of said spool, said fly member being rotated by the unwinding action of said Wire as it is withdrawn from the spool through said guides.

8. In mechanism for unreeling a wire from a spool, a brake plate with whichsaid spool is positioned in axial alinement therewith; a bearing centered in said brake plate; a post mounted in the movable member of said bearing and being longitudinally adjustable therein including means for securing said post in adjusted positions; a fly member secured uponsaid post, including a drag arm that bears upon said brake plate, and having another member disposed over said drag arm to limit movement thereof away from said brake plate, said drag arm having a guide for said wire; and another guide for said wire spaced from said fly member and alined with the axis of said spool, said fly member being rotated by the unwinding action of said wire as it is withdrawn from said spool through said guides.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the parts comprising the brake plate applicable to the end of spool of wire; a longitudinally adjustable post revolubly mounted in axial alinement with said brake-plate; and a fly member fixed on said post having a drag arm that bears upon said brake p'late, said drag arm having a guide for wire as it is withdrawn from said spool.

10. In apparatus for unwinding a wire from a spool upon which the wire is wound, a mount for. the spool; a brake restrained revoluble fly member disposed at one end of said spool having a guide through, which said wire is withdrawn from said spool; a guide spaced from said-fly member in axial alinement therewith and through which said wire extends; and a guard ring disposed between said fly member and the latter guide, which ring encompasses the normal lashing range of said wire in its movement between said guides.

In testimony whereof I aflix signature.

EDWARD SNYDER.

theadjusted positions and another guide for 

